15:30 Beverley

Wednesday 14 August 2019

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:05

Jill Willows Handicap

Off time: 15:32 | Winning time: 2m 5.19s

(7)

Gossip Column¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: B A Curtis| T: Ian Williams| OR: 85| D

11/2

Excellent strike-rate (5-23); short-head winner from a 2lb lower mark at York (1m4f) in June and back to that form when edged out by Hereby at Chester (1m4f+, good to soft) latest; has won over this shorter trip in the past; key player.

Form: 631742

(2)

Archie Perkins³³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 83| CD

3/1

Three-time C&D winner (most recently in June); finished behind today's rival Regal Mirage on his penultimate start but was gamely back in the winners enclosure on the Knavesmire at York (1m2f, good/firm) last month; 3lb higher; career best required.

Form: 411331

(6)

Stonific¹²³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-11| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 82| D

14/1

3lb higher than when getting his season off to a flying start at Doncaster (1m2f, good) in March; off the track since April when finishing fifth to the upwardly mobile King's Advice at Thirsk; handles most conditions; stablemate of Invasion Day.

Form: 0600-15

(1)

Benadalid¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: J Fanning| T: C W Fairhurst| OR: 80| D

5/1

Game neck winner at Doncaster (1m2f, good) on his penultimate start, but was subsequently beaten (sixth of ten) off top-weight in a Class 4 handicap at Thirsk (1m4f); drops back in trip.

Form: 030416

(9)

Regal Mirage¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: P Hanagan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 74| C| D

8/1

Course winner (1m4f) last August; driven right out to fend off Firewater at Pontefract (1m2f, good) recently; raised 4lb since; merits plenty of respect as a seven-time winner (from 29 starts).

Form: 253841

(4)

Invasion Day¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 82

5/1

Sole win came in a 6½f Cork maiden (good) for Ger Lyons; placed on his last couple of Irish starts, including when headed close home by stablemate Long Arm at Gowran Park (1m1½f) latest; market helpful on debut for David O'Meara.

Form: 252832

(5)

Top Notch Tonto¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: Megan Nicholls⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 74| C

8/1

Top class performer in yesteryear; without a win since June 2015 and despite having his sights lowered considerably in the interim hasn't exactly fired; staying on fifth of ten to Trinity Star (Benadalid sixth) at Thirsk (1m4f) recently.

Form: 077805

(3)

Thomas Cranmer³³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Nathan Evans| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 73| D

11/2

9lb lower than when scoring at Ripon (1m2f, good to firm) in July 2018; not far off making the frame (fourth) at York on his last couple of starts, but the suspicion is that old foes Gossip Column and Archie Perkins might just have his measure.

Form: 7-95744

(8)

International Guy⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: P Mathers| T: R A Fahey| OR: 73

40/1

Lightly raced 3yo who ran his best race to date when beaten just over 1L by Oasis Prince here (1m½f, good to firm) in April; has issues with the starting stalls and that has thwarted his overall career development; handicap debut.

Form: 726

Forecasts

Archie Perkins (3/1), Benadalid (5/1), Invasion Day (5/1), Gossip Column (11/2), Thomas Cranmer (11/2), Top Notch Tonto (8/1), Regal Mirage (8/1), Stonific (14/1), International Guy (40/1)

A very open looking handicap with the in-form horses, namely GOSSIP COLUMN and the course specialist Archie Perkins among a number holding few secrets from the handicapper. Invasion Day has left Ger Lyons since being beaten by a stablemate at Gowran Park in July and could potentially make his mark on these shores, while the lightly raced handicap debutant International Guy is another worthy of a mention. However, with no firm opinion or real zest for a financial interest, we'll elect to stick with the Ian Williams charge.